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Well, shall we help him realise the "enormity" of the issue, or rather the consequences of his ignorance, by all sending him an email or two in which we repeat the facts?! Why not, it seems deserved...

And it will fill up his in box.

I have no respect for people in a position like his who simply choose to ignore the facts which show they are wrong. Grow some indeed, you are correct with that assertion Mr P!

If it helps anyone in composing an email to Mr Collins, these are some of the indisputable facts I have already provided him with, and to which he had no answer. They are just extracts from a quite lengthy exchange. Please feel free to mix and match

While it is true to say that certain sections of a limited number of enactments have been applied to the Broads as if they were a national park (such as planning laws), no legislation has ever designated the Broads as a national park. Scottish national parks have been designated as such under Scottish legislation, as the Scottish government has devolved powers, so any comparison with those parks is meaningless.

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National parks are designated under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. The Norfolk and Suffolk Broads are empowered and controlled by the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads 1988 Act.

The Broads could not, and cannot, be designated as a national park, as the duties of the Broads Authority are different from those of a national park authority. You will note that is it the Broads Authority, not the Broads National Park Authority. They cannot be a National Park Authority, because the Broads are not a national park.

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From the report to the Broads Authority by the Chief Executive and Solicitor of the Broads Authority in 2015 regarding the rebranding (i.e. renaming) of the Broads as the Broads National Park:

“The Authority...Resolves...not to pursue the ambition in the Broads Plan for the Broads to become a national park in law.”

And...

“The relationship with our Minister and Defra is crucial to the Authority and it is apparent from Lord de Mauley’s letter (See Appendix F) to the Chairman of the Authority that Ministers are clear that, regardless of brand, the Broads is not legally a National Park...”

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The letter from the then-Under Secretary of State for Defra to the then-chairman of the Broads Authority, in which he writes...“In terms of government policy, the Broads is treated as a member of the national parks family although its statutory basis is quite separate and it is not legally a national park. We do not propose to change this position...”

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From the minutes of the Broads Authority meeting, at which the rebranding decision was taken:

“...that if the Authority agreed to accepting the use of the brand Broads National Park, that it would no longer pursue the ambition stated within the Broads Plan for the Broads Authority to become a national park in law”

And...

“...dropping the aspiration to become a national park in law was an important concomitant to the branding principle.”

Also...

”In reaching their decision Members had to be satisfied that the Broads National Park Brand would be adopted for marketing related purposes and that the ambition to become a National Park in law … would no longer be pursued.”

And...

”in accepting the above, the Authority also … resolved … not to pursue the ambition in the Broads Plan 2011 for the Broads to become a national park in law.”

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The Broads are not funded by a National Park Grant. Only about half their income is from a grant, the other half comes from the river tolls paid by boat owners. None of the legitimate national parks has that funding arrangement. If the Broads were a national park, they would be fully-funded by government.

"..for the avoidance of any doubt, the broads are not legally a national park and do not come under the national park legislation, and nor will they."Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for DEFRA (Hansard 2015)

"..for the avoidance of any doubt, the broads are not legally a national park and do not come under the national park legislation, and nor will they."Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for DEFRA (Hansard 2015)